Gun turret



June 4, 1940. M. WAT'IDER 2,203,345

GUN TURRET Filed April 27, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

MICHAEL. WATTEQ ATTORNEY.

M. WATTER GUN TURRE'I' June 4, 1940.

Filed April 27. 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

MICHAEL WATTEE.

ATTORNEY.

GUN TURRET- Michael Watter, Baltimore, Md, assignor to The Glenn L.Martin Gompany, Baltimore, Md.

Application April 27, 1938, Serial No. 204,558

1 Claim.

. The present invention relates to gun turrets, and particularly torotatable gun turrets for use in aircraft.

Turrets of many types have been suggested in the prior art, but amajority of them are unsatisfactory because of their limited firingrange, their poor visibility, or the production of a great increase inthe aerodynamic resistance of the aircraft by their protrusiontherefrom.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple typeof turret, particularly adapted to be mounted on the side of anaircraft,

which, while avoiding any large increasein aerodynamic resistance, has awide range of fireand a wide angle of visibility.

to have itself a wide range of angular position,

with a surrounding framework of transparent material so that thevisibility is greatly increased, this transparent material fairing theturret into the aircraft.

According to the specific construction which is employed, the turretincludes a member of transparent material forming considerably more thantruding from the side of the aircraft. In this manner the turret can berotated through the greater part of a half sphere without increasing theresistance, while permitting good visibility, and while preventing anyair blasts upon the gunner.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a turret of thistype in which the supportcraft, thus remaining in a protected positionalthough the gun is permitted to have a wide range of fire.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fullyfrom the following description, particularly when taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

In the drawings: Fig. l is a vertical sectional view through a gunone-half of a sphere, a part of such turret proing frame is locatedprincipally within the airturret mounted on the side wall of an airplaneand embodying the invention.

. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the mounting frame for the gun andturret.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the invention in a 5 modified form.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the gun turret of Fig. 3 showing itmounted in a portion of the hull of a flying boat.

As shown in the drawings, the gun turret gen- 10 erally is indicated atIll. Its mounting includes a portion A intendedto turn about a verticalaxis and a portion B mounted on the member A to turn about a horizontalaxis. The portion A comprises two arcuate arms 'II and I2 rigid at 15their ends with pivoted bearing members 2! and 22, and arranged toinclude substantially a right angle therebetween, thus forming avertical slot or sector. Bearing members 2| and 22 are mounted on pinscarried by lugs 30 and 30' rigid 20 with the side wall 23 of an aircraftbody. In this manner the frame A is mounted to turn about a verticalaxis, which axis is located substantially at the plane of the side wallof the aircraft.

Each of the members II and i2 has extending 25 therefrom an arm,indicated at I3 and Hi respectively. These arms are substantiallyperpendicular to the members H and I2, and are curved about theaxis ofthe bearings 2i and 22 as a center. The length of these arms is suchthat 8!) with the space between the members H and i2 they definesubstantially a half circle.

To the ends of the arms l3 and It is pivoted at 28 and 29 the gunsupport or cradle 13, consisting of two spaced arcuate members I6 and I1con- 35 nected by cross members I8, these carrying be tween them thesupport IQ for the gun IS. The gun may be secured to said support, ormay be removably mounted thereon in any conventional manner. The axis ofthe pivots 28, 28 is in the m same plane as, but, perpendicular to, theaxis of pivots'2l and 22.

Rigid with the members I 5 and i1 is the turret proper, comprising atransparent arrangement forming the greater part of a sphere. This con-@5 sists of framework members 25, between which are arranged panes 24 oftransparent material,

'such as Celluloid, glass or the like, the gun I5 fitting in an openingin the turret.-

By this mounting, the gunner, who of course so stands at the righthandside of Fig. 1, is able to manipulate the gun with clear visibility andthrough a wide angle. The gun may be shifted vertically about thehorizontal axes 28, 28, in such movement swinging up and down in thesector between members H and 02. The gun may also be shifted about thevertical axes 2!, 22. At all times, the gunner is protected from airblasts, since the large dimensions of the transparent turret member orframe, which forms the greater part of a sphere, never uncover the edgesof the opening in the wall 23, and no air can therefore entertherethrough or through the turret itself.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the gun is mountedin substantially the same fashion, and the turret is similar to that ofFigs. 1 and 2. However, the turret is mounted in the center of aplurality of transparent sections 26 forming a part of the wall of theaircraft, and particularly of the hull of a flying boat. In this manner,the visibility of the device is increased. Tie sections 26 are mountedin the wall in any suitable manner.

The transparent members 26 are arranged in close fitting and fairingrelation to one another. They thus streamline that portion of the turretsaid pivots,- a gun-carrying device pivoted on saidv member to turnabout an axis coplanar with and substantially perpendicular to the axisof said first pivots, and a transparent turret member forming more thanhalf a sphere rigid with said gun-carrying device, said turret memberbeing adapted and arranged to prevent .the passage of air therethroughwhen a gun is mounted therein.

MICHAEL WATTER.

